But Kazakhstan recently reduced the rate to $268, Pakistan to $96 and Iran $144 to ISPs, he said.

The discount in prices in Afghanistan would be effective from tomorrow (Wednesday) and the MCIT would monitor the prices of ISPs, he said, adding the discount would be retaken from private companies if they did not reduce the internet prices.

The ministry has been trying to pave the ground for fourth generation (4G) mobile telecommunication technology, Sadat said.

Currently four million people in Afghanistan use internet and efforts are underway to increase the number of users to 15 million in the next four years, he added.

He said efforts were ongoing to prevent distribution of illegal SIM cards and a mechanism in this regard was under process.

About collection of taxes from mobile users, he said 5.6 billion afghanis had been collected since September 22, 2016.

Work on a new tax collection system is also underway for more transparency in the revenue.